Riyadh Travel Risk — Moderate Risk (40/100)
Is Riyadh safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
Riyadh scores 40/100 on our travel risk index (Moderate). The US State Department rates Saudi Arabia Level 3 (Reconsider Travel, updated 12 Oct 2026); the UK FCDO advises against all travel to parts of the country (updated 15 Oct 2026); Canada says: avoid non-essential travel (with regional advisories). No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Official US advisory · Level 3
Reconsider Travel
This decision takes precedence over the analytical composite shown on this page.
Crime (score 20)
Political instability (score 65)
September 27, 2026
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia has a current Travel Risk Calculator composite score of 40 out of 100 (moderate risk tier); the highest-rated risk category is political instability at 65/100; the lowest-rated category is crime at 20/100; last updated September 27, 2026. For official nationwide security advisories, entry requirements, and health notices, see the Saudi Arabia travel risk page. Real-time conditions below include live weather, official advisory levels, GDACS disaster alerts, and current news.
Get a personalized assessment for your tripHow safe is Riyadh to visit in 2026?
Riyadh is currently under a US State Department Level 3 Reconsider Travel advisory. That official decision takes precedence. The 40/100 moderate composite remains visible only as analytical context and must not be read as permission to disregard the advisory. The highest-rated risk category for Riyadh is political instability (65/100), and the lowest is crime (20/100). This page was last updated on September 27, 2026; the baseline category scores reflect analytical indicators, layered with live conditions throughout the day. Live conditions — weather and air quality every 30 minutes, US State Department advisory every 6 hours, GDACS disaster alerts every 30 minutes, CDC health notices every 12 hours, and news every hour — are cached at the source and refreshed automatically when stale.
Driven by: security (60/100) and natural hazards (25/100).
A score of 40 is higher than the scores of 52% of the 241 countries we cover.
AI safety snapshot · refreshed Oct 15, 2026
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia currently maintains a moderate risk baseline composite score of 40 out of 100 with a Level 3 US State Department advisory. Recent safety headlines note travel advisories and warnings issued following Houthi attacks, alongside an FAA warning to US airlines regarding safety risks over Saudi Arabia.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Oct 16, 2026 03:37 UTC
What should I do now?
- Run a real assessment. Open the calculator for live data (weather, advisory, news) layered onto this baseline.
- Political instability (score 65/100): Avoid demonstrations and political gatherings. Monitor news the morning of travel. Have a flexible departure plan.
- Government advisory (score 60/100): Read your country's current official advisory within 7 days of travel. Register with your embassy on arrival if available.
- Check your country's advisory. The single most authoritative live signal. Linked at the bottom of every real assessment.
Day vs Night Safety in Riyadh
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Daytime transit and exploration in central areas are generally safe and routine. Standard alertness in crowded transit hubs and tourist plazas is adequate.
After dark, keep to well-illuminated thoroughfares and busy dining/entertainment quarters. Use verified taxis or rideshare apps when returning late.
Safety by Traveler Type in Riyadh
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
LGBTQ+ travelers
Local laws and social attitudes toward LGBTQ+ travelers vary widely by country and are not captured in our category scores. The official advisory/political indicators are elevated. Read your government LGBTQ+ travel guidance carefully and weigh trip purpose against current conditions.
No group-specific warning is triggered in Riyadh for solo travelers (Crime 20/100 · Transport 30/100), women traveling solo (Crime 20/100), families with children (Health 25/100 · Natural disaster 20/100), older travelers (Health 25/100 · Transport 30/100) and business travelers (Digital 40/100 · Money 25/100 · Transport 30/100): these scores sit in the low-to-moderate range, so standard precautions apply. Local laws affecting LGBTQ+ travelers and gender-specific incident rates are not captured in our scores; check your government's travel guidance.
Score layers
Safety categories
Source: Grounded open data research & citations
Quick facts
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Airport risk | medium |
| Road safety | medium |
| Public transport | medium |
| Tourist scam risk | medium |
| Night safety | medium |
| Last updated | September 27, 2026 |
Live conditions in Riyadh
Real-time data refreshed from public sources — weather and air quality from Open-Meteo, official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For an AI-synthesized briefing tailored to your specific trip, run a personalized assessment.
Today's weather
☀ Clear
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| Today's high / low | 36.5°C / 27°C | Wind now / max | 1.8 km/h / 12.4 km/h |
|---|---|---|---|
| Humidity | 27% | Precipitation today | 0 mm · 0% chance |
| UV (max today) | 7.2 | Sunrise / Sunset | 05:51 / 17:25 |
- Extreme heat
Source: Open-Meteo (free public weather API) · fetched 2026-10-16 03:19:53 UTC · cached
Air quality
Air Quality
Hazardous
| PM2.5 / PM10 | 40.4 / 118.5 µg/m³ | O₃ / NO₂ | 37 / 34.7 µg/m³ |
|---|
- Unhealthy air quality
- High PM2.5 (fine particulate)
Source: Open-Meteo Air Quality · fetched 2026-10-16 03:19:53 UTC · cached
Official travel advisory
Level 3 · Reconsider Travel
Saudi Arabia - Level 3: Reconsider Travel
Read full advisory → · US Department of State
Natural hazard calendar & history
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Most flood events within 100 km of Riyadh happened in December (1 of 1 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Saudi Arabia travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Saudi Arabia entry requirements.
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
-
Level 1 - Global Dengue WATCH · 2026-10-02
Dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world, with outbreaks commonly occurring every 2–5 years. Travelers to risk areas should prevent mosquito bites. Country List : Colombia, Vietnam, Maldives, Bolivia, Cambodia, Kenya, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Mar
-
Level 2 - Global Polio ALERT · 2026-09-23
Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Country List : Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Nig
-
Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-10-15 19:24:31 UTC
Recent headlines
Recent Headlines · Riyadh Saudi Arabia
-
FAA warns U.S. airlines of safety risks over Saudi Arabia after attacks
CNBC · 3d ago
-
Security Alert: U.S. Mission Saudi Arabia – October 11, 2026
U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Saudi Arabia (.gov) · 5d ago
-
Countries warn against travel to Saudi Arabia following Houthi attacks
Al Jazeera · 3d ago
-
Is it safe to travel to Saudi Arabia? Foreign Office updates advice after deadly attack on Riyadh airport
The Independent · 3d ago
-
Americans urged to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia over Iranian, Houthi attack threats
Middle East Monitor · 2d ago
-
Delta Pushes Atlanta-to-Riyadh Flights To 2027 Amid Saudi Airport Disruptions
Travel Noire · 1d ago
Source: Google News · headlines verbatim, dates from publishers · fetched 2026-10-16 03:19:54 UTC
1991–2020 climate normals
Seasonal risk & best time to visit Riyadh
The most weather-stable two-month window for Riyadh is February–March, when typical daily temperatures run from about 9°C to 28°C and monthly rain averages 7 mm.
Seasonal planning flags include extreme heat in May–September. These are climate patterns, not forecasts.
Climate normals are planning context, not a short-range forecast. Source: Open-Meteo Climate API. Refreshed Sep 9, 2026.
Calculate risk for these travel dates Compare seasonal windows →
Practical safety map
Safety infrastructure nearby in Riyadh
Riyadh has 10 hospitals, 8 police stations, 4 embassies, 10 pharmacies and 5 fire stations within 7 km of the city center in the latest OpenStreetMap extract.
The interactive map loads when it approaches the viewport.
Facility list (works without JavaScript)
- Hospital: Unnamed hospital
- Hospital: Unnamed hospital
- Hospital: Unnamed hospital
- Hospital: Unnamed hospital
- Hospital: Unnamed hospital
- Hospital: Unnamed hospital
- Hospital: Al Dara Hospital
- Hospital: Dallah hospital (20,586 patient )
- Hospital: King Abdulaziz University Hospital
- Hospital: Mubarak hospital
- Police: Unnamed police
- Police: Al Malaz
- Police: Al Sulaimaniah Police Station
- Police: الدفاع المدني
- Police: المديرية العامة لحرس الحدود
- Police: جوازات الرياض
- Police: شرطة الديرة
- Police: شرطة المربع
- Embassy: Embassy of Argentina
- Embassy: Embassy of Chad
- Embassy: Embassy of Peru
- Embassy: Embassy of Sri Lanka
- Pharmacy: Unnamed pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Al Nahdi pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Al Rajhi pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Alzahra Alrawdah Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Shams Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: اتقان الدواء
- Pharmacy: صيدلية المتحدة
- Pharmacy: صيدلية النوران الطبية
- Pharmacy: صيدليه المتحدة
- Pharmacy: وقت الدواء
- Fire station: Unnamed fire station
- Fire station: Unnamed fire station
- Fire station: Al Maathar Fire Station
- Fire station: الدفاع المدني بحي غبيرا
- Fire station: الدفاع المدني عليشة
Map and facility data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Locations can be incomplete or outdated; confirm before relying on them. See this destination’s numbers or browse emergency numbers by country.
Emergency numbers (Saudi Arabia)
| Police | 999 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | 997 |
| Fire | 998 |
| General | 911 |
See nearby hospitals, police, pharmacies, embassies, and fire stations on the safety map.
Essential local emergency phrases
Show this screen to first responders, hotel staff, or passersby if you cannot speak the local language during an emergency.
Medical access
| Hospital access | high |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy access | high |
| Emergency response | medium |
| English-speaking care | high |
| Evacuation complexity | medium |
Riyadh hosts advanced specialized facilities such as the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, providing comprehensive neurosurgical and orthopedic care packages. High-level medical care and English-speaking medical staff are accessible at major institutions.
Common scam patterns
- Organized Financial Fraud. Organized criminal networks operating with international connections have been targeted by local law enforcement, involving financial fraud schemes run by resident expatriates. Travelers should remain cautious regarding unsolicited financial requests or suspicious transactions. Tip: Never share financial details, bank passwords, or personal information with unknown entities or unverified online platforms.
Area notes
- King Khalid International Airport. This major international gateway has been targeted in regional Houthi missile and drone claims, prompting warnings about potential flight disruptions and airspace concerns.
Run a personalized assessment for Riyadh
Get a tailored briefing in ~15 seconds, with live weather, advisories, and recent news.
Calculate my trip riskScore history
| When | Score change | Tier | Reason / source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 8, 2026 | 0 → 0 | unknown | Data update Grounded open data research & citations |
| Sep 27, 2026 | 23 → 40 | low → moderate | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| May 15, 2026 | — → 23 | low | Data update Editorial baseline 2026-05-14 (round 2: Numbeo + WHO + State Dept + GPI + EPI references) |
Every editorial change to Riyadh's composite score is logged here, with the source and reason for the change. Live data overlays (weather, advisories, disaster alerts, news) refresh continuously on their own cadences and are not recorded as score changes — see the Live conditions section above for current overlay state.
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Transparency & Sources
We document the baseline sources, coverage scope, and data inputs for this destination below.
Sources used
- SimpleMaps World Cities (CC BY 4.0): Coordinates, region, population for Riyadh
- Travel Risk Calculator score (method v2): Security, crime and scams, health, natural hazards and current alerts for Riyadh, from US, UK and Canadian advisories, INFORM, World Bank, UCDP, CDC, GDACS, USGS and OpenStreetMap
- Editorial baseline (Travel Risk Calculator): City-level threat scoring across 9 categories (crime, health, advisory, political, disaster, transport, environmental, digital security, money safety)
Live data overlays on this page refresh asynchronously on the source cadences shown above. Run an assessment to create a trip-specific briefing using your dates and traveler profile.
Baseline scope
- Category scores represent an analytical baseline, updated from official feeds and public records.
Coverage notes
- Transport-hub safety notes (airport, train stations).
Methodology · Full data-source registry · Report a correction
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Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.